The infamous mistral wind in Provence FrenchEntrée > Holidays in France > Weather in France > The infamous mistral wind in Provence The infamous mistral wind in Provence By Staff Writer Provence is well known for its fierce and cold wind known locally as Le Mistral. This wind is the result of an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs mainly in the winter and spring in the gulf of the Mediterranean Sea. The Mistral usually develops as a cold front moving down across France. The air piles up in the Alps before spilling over the mountain’s top and rushing down into the Rhône valley between the Alps and Cevennes. The Mistral may blow continuously for several days at a time, attain velocities of about 100 km (62 miles) and reach a height of 2 to 3 km (1 to 4m) towards the French Riviera and the Gulfe de Lion. Marseilles and St.Tropez often take the full brunt of this cold, strong wind as it finally reaches the sea. These winds can affect weather in North Africa, Sicily and throughout the Mediterranean. It is strongest and most frequent in winter, and sometimes causes considerable damage to crops.

Trees in Provence are forever bent in the direction of this fierce wind. Le Mistral can cause tiresome headaches. Many a mother will claim this wind incites a general restlessness in children – even pets are said to be affected! But as inhospitable an element as it may be, this beneficial wind does clear and dry the atmosphere in the region, leaving the sun to shine some 2800 hours per year! “Behind the Mistral is the beauty of Provence. Its fierceness blows away clouds and grime and doubt, leaving colours the depth of dreams and a freshness that can come only after the Mistral’s scouring. Provence needs the Mistral or it ceases to be the Provence of my dreams. I need the Mistral to cut through those dreams to truth – beauty comes after the wind.” Kamiah A. Walker Photo by Qcom/Flickr The Winds of France The Winds of France A guide to the different winds in France and the areas they affect Wonderful French weather The weather is one of the most common reasons given by Brits for holidaying in or moving to live in France. "It's sunnier" they say.

(Generally true, even in the north of the country.) "It's warmer than Britain." (Also, generally true, and especially markedly so in the south of France.) Yes, France as a whole enjoys better weather than the UK. In the north-west and down the west coast, the Gulf Stream brings a very appealing mild climate, while in the south, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the sun shines from a brilliantly blue sky, kissing our skins to gold and raising spirits. Even the more centrally located regions such as Poitou-Charentes ( Poitou-Charentes Property Guide ) enjoy a high degree of sunshine for much of the year. The mountain peaks, snow-capped in winter, still seem bathed in sunshine more often than not, and in summer offer some of the sunniest and most delightful conditions imaginable. ( Weather in France .) Where the winds blow? However, there is another factor to the weather that affects France, and that is the winds that blow from east to west, from north to south, from south to north and west to east, sometimes, seemingly, all at once! There are winds that rattle around in corridors between mountains, winds that blast the Mediterranean shores and winds that bellow across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sometimes, in hot, high summer, the winds are soft and warm, and bring a pleasant relief from the overpowering heat, but in winter they can be devastating, icy cold and destructive. Winds are given names We live with the winds that blow in our chosen areas, of course, we have no choice except to move, which most of us don't want to do, but "Oh this blooming wind, when will it stop?" is a commonly heard grumble. The winds that blow across France are often given names, a custom dating back to ancient times, and which personalises the winds, making them seem like old friends, or even, sometimes, enemies. Provence and the mighty Mistral The best known wind of them all, one which is a household name even in Britain, where it does not blow, is the Mistral. The area most affected by this wind, whose name means "masterly", which indeed it is, is the otherwise golden land of Provence ( Provence-Alpes-Cï¿½te d'Azur Property Guide ), in the south-east of the country between the Alps ( Alps property ) and the Mediterranean Sea.

Parts of eastern Languedoc ( Languedoc-Roussillon Property Guide ) can also feel its effects. The Mistral blows mostly in spring and winter, but it does occur at times throughout the year and can last for anything from a day to over a week. Wind speeds of up to 90 miles per hour have been recorded. The different forms of the Mistral The Mistral wind comes in two forms, known as the Mistral Blanc, or White Mistral, and the Mistral Noir, the Black Wind. Additionally, you may become acquainted with a third Mistral, the Summer Mistral, but this wind has different origins from the more violent winds better known Blanc and Noir. The Mistral Blanc The Mistral Blanc is usually associated with brilliantly blue skies and dry, sunny conditions. Much as it is vilified by the inhabitants of Provence, it is actually the driving force behind the legendary sunny climate and azure skies enjoyed there, as its power clears the skies of clouds and dust and dries the atmosphere. It creates a luminous clarity to the air, bringing a pollution free environment and good health to the people, and inspiration to countless generations of artists. The Mistral Noir The Mistral Noir is a different matter.

Whereas the White Mistral is a dry wind, the Black Mistral brings rain and clouds. It is less common than the Mistral Blanc, and this is why the Mistral is generally believed to bring dry conditions. The Summer Mistral The Summer Mistral originates in a different way from its brothers. It occurs when inland Provence experiences a thermal depression, caused by the summer hot earth. It affects only a small area and usually lasts for just a few hours, but can be a devastating accelerator of forest fires. The Baby Mistral - La Bise The Mistral can have its origins in the wind known as La Bise. A very hot, dry wind, it is called by this name at the beginning of its journey down through the Rhone valley, where it reaches Provence and becomes the Mistral. Buildings adapted to cope with the Mistral The Mistral is such a feature of Provenï¿½al life that it has created many dominant architectural features such as bell towers of churches formed with open frames made of iron or iron grill work, specifically to allow the wind to pass through without damaging the structure.

The traditional large Mas houses ( Property in France - Types of houses in France ), which belonged to wealthy landowners, were constructed to face south, not in an attempt to keep a sunny aspect, as in Britain, but to keep the Mistral away from the front door and behind the house. Even going back to some 400,000 years BC, the Mistral had a bearing on the population of Provence, and there is evidence to show that early man built his fireplaces protected by rock walls to prevent the Mistral from blowing them out or from spreading the fire beyond control. Landscapes and plants carefully thought about The landscapes are also affected in another way, as even the trees and plants of the region have to cope with the Mistral. Rows of elegant cypress trees are not planted so much as a distinctive, decorative feature, but are grown to create barriers against the wind, while even smaller plants have to be chosen for their ability cope with extremely dry conditions. Fires are another problem in summer, as the strong winds blow across an already tinder dry land, spreading fires faster than man can quell the flames.

The sun and the wind combine to create a very dry earth, and delicate, moisture loving plants are simply wind-whipped to death or frazzled by the heat. The Mistral has been around for a long time The effects of the Mistral on Provenï¿½al life are also shown through popular culture, with a traditional Christmas crib figure, that of the shepherd, being depicted in the region as being bent almost double, battling against the might of the Mistral. The wind is also mentioned in many literary works. What causes the Mistral? The Mistral is created when the high pressure in the Atlantic meets the low pressure of the area round Genoa. Pulling in cold air from the north, the wind gains speed as it is pressed between the Cevennes Mountains of the Languedoc and the Alps ( Rhône-Alpes Property Guide ) of eastern France. The Rhone Valley forms a corridor down which the force of the Mistral can only grow, affecting the land from Lyon ( Lyon Property Guide ) to Marseille ( Marseille Property Guide ), and working its way south-east along the Côte-d'Azur.

Protected areas There are, however, parts of Provence on the Mediterranean Coast that are fortunate enough not to suffer badly from the effects of the Mistral. Nice ( Nice Property Guide ), Cannes ( Cannes Property Guide ) and Monaco ( Monaco Property Guide ), on the French Riviera, have their own micro climates where the protective barrier of the Alps prevents the wind from having its effect on the climate, giving a much calmer, gentler weather throughout the year. Winters here are delightfully mild, with a marked absence of wind. ( French Riviera Property - an insider's guide .) Languedoc - the windiest region of all The Languedoc, or Languedoc-Roussillon ( Languedoc-Roussillon Property - an insider's guide ), in the centre south of France, is the windiest region of them all. As mentioned previously, its eastern parts catch the westerly end of the Mistral, while the region as a whole is affected by an awesome collection of winds from all points of the compass. The Languedoc is often said to be one of France's sunniest regions, and this is indeed true, partly again due to the cleansing qualities of the wind upon the air.

The Tramontane The dominant wind of the Languedoc region is the Tramontane. The Tramontane is powerful, dry and cold, and blows from the north or the northwest. It gathers its speed and power in the same way as the Mistral does, passing through the narrow corridor between the Pyrénéan Mountains and the Massif Central, and being created by the meeting of the high pressure from the Atlantic with the low pressure of the Mediterranean in the Golfe de Lion. Areas of the Languedoc affected by the Tramontane The areas of France most affected by the Tramontane are the Languedoc Littoral, that is, the coastal areas of the Languedoc all the way along the west to Spain, and the inland areas of the Hérault ( Hï¿½rault Property Guide ), the Pyrénées-Orientales ( Pyrénées-Orientales Property Guide ) and the southern Aude ( Aude Property Guide ). In certain areas, notably the eastern Languedoc and the western regions of Provence, the Tramontane can merge with the Mistral.

The Marin - affecting inland areas most The next most prevalent wind that blows in France is the Marin, or Marine Wind, and this is another which blows upon the coast of the Languedoc. The warm yet damp or wet conditions carried by the Marin bring cloud and rain, particularly to the hilly or mountainous areas inland. The coast suffers less from the wet weather of the Marin, for although it feels the wind, the clouds have often been dispersed before the Marin arrives at the sea. The Cers - glorious sunsets are a warning it is on its way Next on the list of the Languedoc's famous winds is the Cers, which affects the area of the Languedoc on the Mediterranean coast near to Narbonne ( Narbonne Property Guide ). Dry and cold in winter, the Cers becomes hot and dry in summer, and is created by the cool, damp air of the Atlantic being forced down from Toulouse ( Toulouse Property Guide ) through the plains of the Lauragais. Thus, it is the Aude that suffers most from this wind, as it travels from Toulouse to the sea.

It is an interesting fact that the glorious sunsets often seen in this area, deep red and stunning to behold, are actually a harbinger of the Cers, so enjoy the sunset while it happens but batten down the hatches before you go to bed, the Cers is on the way! The Sirocco and the Levant Another famous wind is the Sirocco. The Sirocco focuses most of its attentions on North Africa, but its effects can sometimes be felt in south-western France, and certainly in Spain. The last of the major winds that hit the benighted Languedoc is the Levant. This one is hot and damp, and blows across the Mediterranean from the south-east. It also affects Provence. Other areas of France affected by winds It is known that the Mediterranean areas of France receive a lot of wind, and the Med areas are certainly the ones where the best known named winds blow, but most of France can find itself battered by strong winds at least a few times every year. Apart from the south, the windiest areas tend to be those near to the North Sea, where the North Wind comes whistling across the channel from the UK!

The Atlantic Coast ( The French Atlantic Coast from Biarritz to Southern Brittany ) down the west of France, generally enjoys a less windy, mild climate, due to the Oceanic influences. This doesn't always hold true, however, as occasionally, as in January 2009, the south-west regions of France can find themselves in the eye of a real storm. This one, reaching hurricane-like proportions, destroyed trees, plants and even houses throughout the south-west, with the Landes ( Landes Property Guide ) being the worst hit. Madness and the wind It isn't just the moon that causes madness, or so they say in this part of the world. When we moved to the Languedoc we were warned against buying a house in the Lauragais (the plain that lies in the Aude department between Carcassonne ( Carcassonne Property Guide ) and the Montagne Noir) as we were told, "There is a wind there that drives men and horses mad." We didn't listen. "How bad can it be?" we thought.

In fact, the house we bought, and in which we have lived in for some seven years at the time of writing, lies in what are known locally as "Les Collines du Vent." This, in case you are not aware, translates to "The Windy Hills". Time to take care when the wind blows Most of the time, the weather is magnificent, but when the wind blows there is not a storm peg ever created that can keep the washing on the line, nor a fixing made that can keep the rush roofing from blowing off the pergola. As for driving men and horses mad, well, we retain our sanity, although I would certainly not risk my life by taking the horses out for a ride in the hills when the wind is blowing! Windmills are a clue! The windiest areas sport windmills ( French Mills ), both of the old variety, once used to grind corn and other grains and which are now much in demand for renovation to desirable homes, and of the new variety, which generate electricity in a manner suited to an environmentally conscious age. Called ï¿½olienne, these modern windmills are quite a feature of many areas of France, where the application of alternative energy is taken seriously.

They offer an obvious clue to the status of the winds in the areas in which they exist, and therefore the advice to potential house buyers would be that if you don't like the wind, don't move to a windmill rich area! Additional articles which may be of interest: Property in the south of France About the author Joanna Simm moved to the Languedoc area of south-west France in October 2004 having found her property through French Property Links. your comments... 1. A visitor to the site provides information on the Autan wind (added 28/12/13)... Very interesting article. I think you also need to mention the Autan wind, however. It is the counterwind to the Tramontane and it is the most violent wind of the Toulouse area. It can blow for days at a time at 100km/h at its worst. It is especially violent in the Lauragais region. This site gives you good background and readings on the two winds: More background at French wikipedia: And lastly info on the Vent d'autan in the Lauragais: Do you know this subject better than we do? Do you have photos relating to this subject?

If you have photos or information that you'd like to add to this page (or if you've spotted something we've got wrong) then please enter your comments and/or select your photos and click "Send". (If you're sending photos please don't forget to mention the location!): If your upload form doesn't display within a few seconds, please check the FAQ or contact us at hello@uploadthingy.com. We'd love to help out! Featured Properties Deutsche Mistral-Seite Subject: MISTRAL Date: Mon, 25 May 1998 14:28:31 +0200 From: "Michael Tommasi" Hello, I found you Web page to be very useful. I live in the Mistral area, although I originally come from the Bora area (!), please find enclosed an article I wrote on Mistral, you might find it useful. It has a few non-meteorological items which you might skip. Bye Michele Tommasi The Mistral is a strong wind from the NW affecting the eastern Mediterranean coast of France, from Marseille to St. Tropez.

The Mistral is one of the key weather-makers of this charming and relatively undiscovered part of the French Riviera, situated in the départements of the Var and extending to the Bouches-du-Rhône (Marseille), away from the overcrowded Nice-Cannes-Antibes area. The Mistral is responsible for the exceptionally sunny conditions, the desert-like vegetation (reminiscent of Southern California), and perhaps even the local temper. Most of the time, in between bouts of Mistral, the coast is gently swept by pleasant breezes, which make summer days more bearable than the hot conditions inland, while winters are mild compared even to Aix-en-Provence, only a half-hour drive inland. These calm periods are punctuated by short violent bouts of Mistral, which clear the air and prepare for the next mild spell, ensuring that this area maintains its sunny conditions. The towns of Bandol-Sanary-Six Fours boast the largest number of sunny days per year in France. The risk of a Mistral of force 6 or greater is about 30% in the peak period from November to April.

In the summertime that risk drops to 18%, but the warm sea temperature increases its speed significantly. Force 7-8 is not uncommon, and at least once a year it reaches force 10 (that's 89 to 102 km/h average; to put the feeling in perspective, it's like leaning out of the window while driving legal speed on a US highway). Navigators and hikers must be particularly aware of the Mistral. Although the locals are fond of embellishment (the Marseillais have the same reputation as the Texans), one should never underestimate their descriptions of Mistral. It does occasionally reach 70 knots, it does appear suddenly, it does drive you to making rash decisions. If you are driving southward along the Rhône on a Mistral day, you will begin to feel it around Montelimar, the city which marks the dividing line between cloudy and clear conditions. As you continue southward, the cypresses that protect gardens and orchards from the wind are bent over, leaning permanently towards the Mediterranean.

At Marseille the Mistral blows from the north, but a cyclone effect twists it as it reaches the Mediterranean, so that it actually follows the coast eastward all the way to St. Tropez, while also pushing out to Corsica and even the north of Sardinia. Why the Mistral evokes such romantic dreams in visitors, why these quaint bed-and-breakfasts in the heart of Provence are inevitably named Le Mistral, is hard to explain. When the Mistral blows, it sets most people on edge or gives them migraine, maybe due to lack of sleep, caused by the howling noise it makes gusting up to 120 km/h onto a provençal tiled roof. The dry cold air blows hard and evenly, leaving the sky clear and tinged in an unbelievably luminous blue colour unique to Provence, the air is brisk and the sunshine is harsh and blinding. In the summertime, a day of Mistral is enough to make the soup-warm Mediterranean drop to the serving temperature of vichyssoise. The Mistral blows dust in your eyes and leaves your teeth gritty with sand.

They say that during a Mistral you can see Corsica from atop the appropriately named Mont Ventoux in Northern Provence; unfortunately, nobody has ever proven that, because it is impossible to stand up in Mistral on the Mont Ventoux. Do not try the "Route des Crêtes" drive in a Mistral, your car will feel like it is about to fly off the ridge of the Calanques, Provence's version of the "fjords" with a 300m vertical drop overlooking the Mediterranean and the town of Cassis. Meteorology The Mistral's effects develop along the Rhône valley, as a consequence of the cold front that sweeps France once a low pressure area has formed around the English Channel. The cold front advances in a SSE direction, passing under high altitude warm air layers, hits the Alps and spills out by funneling down the Rhône valley at high speed, often helped by low pressure in the Tyrrhenian Sea. While the conditions outlined above are necessary, they are not sufficient, and other complex triggering mechanisms are involved.

For the Mistral to blow, it is also necessary to have a pressure gradient along the coast, however slight, from higher pressure in the Pyrenees to lower pressure in the Appennines. If you are in the Mistral area, that pressure is hard to detect, because you are smack in the middle of the gradient, so you must rely on the isobars furnished by weather services. Mistral effects on the coast can be amplified if the air is much cooler than the sea. Mistral can get a further boost from the Tramontane, another strong fall wind which can simultaneously blow out of the west, generated by conditions similar to the Mistral, by the funneling effect of the Pyrenées. The Tramontane can blow alone, and it is often confused with Mistral by the inexperienced. Another wind affecting the area is the East wind, which brings the rain to this dry area. The East wind is not a fall wind. Its arrival is pre-announced by the movement of the sea's current towards the west.

Exceptionally, violent storms can be carried by southern winds, although these are more often the result of instability in North Africa, and carry prodigious amounts of desert sand, coating everything in thick yellow mud. The Mistral is what Bowditch defines as a fall wind, occuring when cold air is dammed up in great quanityt against the windward side of a mountain ridge. The Bora is an eastern Mediterranean example of fall wind, when cold air moves in a NW direction up Yugoslavia and hits the Alps, spilling out onto the Adriatic, hitting Trieste with great force and reaching as far as Venice. The Bora is not as dramatic as it used to be up to the '60s, when the pavements of Trieste were even fitted with rope railings to help pedestrians. On rare occasions, if the volume of cold air is sufficient, it may also spill down the Argens and the Var valleys (the Var river is not in the Var départment at all, it flows through Nice), hitting the Nice Riviera directly from the land side. Technically speaking though, the Mistral must come from the Rhône valley.

But the wind the Niçois most often call Mistral is in fact the Ponant, which is not a fall wind at all. The Ponant always begins around mid-day and ends just after tea-time on the Boulevard des Anglais. So remember, contrary to what they tell you there, Nice is not in Provence and hardly ever gets the Mistral. Forecasting Accurate forecasting is very hard indeed, do not expect anything more than a short notice if any. It often builds up in the night, after midnight, or early in the morning, especially in the summer. It very rarely appears on a summer afternoon. Once established, the Mistral generally peaks in the afternoon and weakens in the evening. Most Mistrals last one to three days, sometimes extending to a full week. Tales abound about it always lasting a multiple of 3 days, but this notion, often quoted by landlubbers as some form of venerable ancient mariner's knowledge, is in fact utter nonsense. The sky in the NW can show telltale signs several hours before a Mistral. Wispy high-altitude cirrus may appear, but the typical signs are lens-shaped alto-cumulus, looking like cuttlefish bones.

These appear the evening before, with a red sunset, the clouds are golden at first, turning to pink and then gray. The faster they turn gray, the harder the wind will be, force 8 or 9 is not uncommon. After sunset, short gusts of wind appear, at first in long intervals, then coming more often, while the sea current starts to flow towards the east. Expect full development between midnight and sunrise. When the Mistral is blowing, you can often see a large cloudy area waiting far away to the west of Marseille, prevented from advancing by the airflow down the Rhône. If the Mistral subsides, those clouds will quickly invade your area. Navigation While it is blowing, the Mistral creates short deep waves, making navigation unpleasant and definitely very wet. Sea conditions are generally extreme around the numerous capes that make up the coast in Mistral country. The shallower waters and the rocky coast create havoc with the waves, creating crossing patterns which are hard to negotiate. The waves can be one to two metres long, 3 metres at most, in places like Almanarre. When navigating, be aware that not all ports are suitably protected against all winds.

Some are well oriented for protection against the Mistral, but may be rough spots during an East wind. Several aids are available to navigators. Flashing lights are used in certain ports or navigation areas, for daytime warnings of expected winds of force 6 and over. Weather warnings are issued in SSB on short wave by stations at Grasse, Marseille and Monaco. The "CROSS" centre in La Garde broadcasts special bulletins and warnings on VHF, plus you can request a rebroadcast of a weather bulletin. Other sources are local radio stations, Radio France International, NAVTEX, Weather-fax, as well as many meteorological centres and semaphores with automated telephone response, reachable by GSM mobile phone. Windsurfing The Mistral makes our part of the coast a wind-surfer's paradise. All of the dangers to navigation mentioned above are in fact a plus to wind-surfers. Few people refer to the beach of Six-Fours by its real name "Plage de Bonnegrace", the more popular "Brutal Beach" is more descriptive. Another favourite spot is the beach of Almanarre, in Hyères.

In both places the waves are short and treacherous for a pleasure boat, but ideal for wave jumping on a 2.6 m long funboard. Expect to see amazing acrobatics being performed here. In calm weather you will not see them, but wind-surfers from all over Europe are there, camped out somewhere, waiting. When the Mistral hits, they all come out at once, their campers invading the coast. The Italians have the fanciest gear, their custom boards splashed with "Giorgio" or "Roberto" in large script, smartly tied on top of their sleek German cars. The Germans have the most gear, plus mountain bikes, so they need extra-large campers. The Dutch also have oversized campers, because they are in the habit of bringing along all their food needs for the entire trip, including those beautiful but totally tasteless watery greenhouse tomatoes that they grow. Forest fires Summer dry conditions and Mistral combine to create a high risk of forest fires, making hiking dangerous. Such fires are rarely accidental, usually deliberately set in pine forests by deranged people or by contract arsonists on motorcycles, using such imaginative devices as incendiary tennis balls and a raquet.

The perpetrators are often known by the police but never held for more than a few days, the police here being mainly in the business of giving parking tickets. The fires rapidly assume alarming proportions and become difficult to control, advancing in the forest faster than you can run, unimpeded by rivers or highways as glowing pinecones get flung across these ineffective obstacles. All the firefighters can do in these conditions is concentrate on protecting the inhabited areas. The pine trees burn very quickly, fuelled by resin and wind, while the pinecones explode and spread burning shrapnel to nearby trees, aided by the burning underbrush and thus extending the fire to the cork oak forests. The growth on the ground used to be kept under control by large flocks of sheep and goats, but somehow the shepherd's profession has become even less attractive than accounting. When a pine forest burns, it rarely regenerates itself, the more rugged cork oaks eventually replacing them. Cork oak trees also appear to burn to a crisp, but in fact the scar is only on the surface, caused by the underbrush and the leaves, the trunk and main branches being protected by the cork bark, which does not burn.

Remarkably, the following spring these blackened skeletons develop pristine new green buds and leaves, while the tree keeps growing stronger than ever, fed by the minerals in the ash deposited on the ground. Fires of this magnitude can cloak huge areas of the coast in smoke. This can be awesome (in the pre-1980's sense of the word), the sky gets completely overcast. The tourists think it's a storm coming until they notice their cars are covered in ash, the sun is invisible but for an eerie orange-brown glow, and bright yellow and red Canadair water bombers are buzzing all around. The Canadair CL-415 is rapidly replacing the piston-engine CL-215, but despite its variable pitch prop and turbine engine it is still basically the same design as the original WW II bomber that it was developed from. The plane can scoop over 6000 litres in a quick 12-second skim over water, and in a typical 2.5 hour mission it will drop 91000 litres of water. Canadians will never stop telling you about Canadian airplane designs that never saw service because they were 10 years ahead of their time.

It is ironic that one of their biggest successes is a WW II bomber still in production 50 years later. Officially called a firefighting amphibious craft, the French refer to any such plane as a "Canadair". They are stationed at Marseille airport, watch for them as you land, admire them during the 45 minute wait for your luggage. Places in the Mistral's path The Mistral is like an endurance test, but once it has finished its business it will leave the air clean and fresh, allowing you to enjoy the rest of your stay here. There are many things to see and places to visit on and around the coast. Avoid the months of july and august at all cost, that's when Parisians come down and invade the place, recreating the traffic jams of the capital, just so they can keep their stress from dropping to unnaturally low levels. Starting from the West, as you probably will arrive at Marseille airport, always head East.

You could venture into Marseille, there is nothing wrong with the place, it just has a bad reputation which the Paris-based media scrupulously maintains, but in truth, despite the rough veneer, the place is totally harmless and actually quite a place for contemporary culture, mainly theater and music. As you leave Marseille head for Cassis, but do not take the highway, use the spectacular road which goes along the coast, with great views of the islands, and then continues through the garrigue, the patch of mediterranean brush which covers the Calanques. Take a detour to the Presqu'île of Cassis and see the view from the Calanques. As you leave Cassis, look for the Route des Crêtes, and follow the ridge of the Calanques. Drop into La Ciotat and see the station, so you can see where the Lumière brothers shot the first film ever made. The first cinema hall is also in La Ciotat. Take the coast road again and go to Bandol if you like sitting at a café people-watching, or if you are searching for some night-life, otherwise go to Sanary, one of the best preserved fishing villages on the coast.

A side trip to Castellet will provide great views from this medieval village. Beyond that you can skip Toulon altogether, unless you want to see France's only major city with a mayor from the fascist and overtly racist National Front. The infamous Toulon-La Seyne-Hyères triangle is the capital of mafia and corruption on the coast, the highest level politicians are in jail and so are some of the neighbouring town mayors. Toulon is home to the French fleet, which was self-destroyed in the harbour when a couple of German subs blocked the port entrance in WW II. If the Germans were prevented from taking the city, nobody was able to prevent post-war French architects, inspired by Stalin, from defacing the waterfront with nightmarish blocks of concrete, simultaneously choking the old town and blocking any view of the sea. The got the coveted "Prix de Rome" prize for this work. Hyères is next, and consider a day-trip to the island of Porquerolles. The coast drive will take you to wonderful spots, such as Bormes les Mimosas, and the nearby beaches of Bregançon, the nicest of the entire coast.

Continue to Lavandou and through to Ramatuelle, ending up in St. Tropez. This is a very beautiful village, but its discovery by Brigitte Bardot has made it incredibly crowded between Easter and September. Look for immense yachts in the minuscule port, but also walk through the tiny streets and see the fishermen's houses. The aging Ms. Bardot has lost her marbles, she has married a member of the National Front and advocates saving the seals and being nice to dogs, while spouting the nastiest remarks about the humans of every race, including her own, who have ruined her little village. She has forgotten who started the whole invasion. Local Winds - Metlink Teaching Weather and Climate Local Winds Contact Local Winds Local winds occur on a small spatial scale, their horizontal dimensions typically several tens to a few hundreds of kilometres. They also tend to be short-lived lasting typically several hours to a day. There are many such winds around the world, some of them cold, some warm, some wet, some dry. There are many hazards associated with the winds. The main types of local winds are: Sea breezes and land breezes, Anabatic and katabatic winds, and Foehn winds.

Download wind Factfile with many more winds Anabatic winds This wind is caused by thermal (heat) processes. Anabatic (upslope) winds occur over slopes which are heated by the sun. Air which is in contact with slopes that are warmed expands upward and cool and sinks over neighbouring valleys (see diagram). Anabatic winds are usually slow, at only 1-2m/s and are rarely importance expect near coasts where they can increase the strength of sea breezes. Katabatic Winds Katabatic (downslope) winds occur over slopes which are cooled. Katabatic winds occur where air in contact with sloping ground is colder than air at the same level away from the hillside over the valley (see diagram below). Katabatic winds are nocturnal phenomena in most parts of the world (i.e. they tend to happen at night) as there is surface cooling, especially when there is little cloud and due to lack of heating by the sun. Katabatic wind speeds do not typically not exceed 3 or 4 m/s.

However, where the ground is covered with snow or ice, katabatic winds can occur at any time of day or night with speeds often reaching 10 m/s, or even more if funnelling through narrow valleys occurs. Katabatic winds may lead to the formation of frost, mist and fog in valleys. Sea Breezes Sea breezes are the result of differential heating of the land and the sea. Sea breezes occur by day, when the land becomes warmer than the sea. Warm air from the land cannot expand into the sea as the air is cooler and more dense, so it expands up into the atmosphere. Cumulus clouds tend to form as the warm air rises over the land to about 500-1500m. The diagram below shows the whole sea breeze process. Air in sea breezes is cool and moist compared to the air over the land. Sea breezes can move 70km inland in temperate climates by 9pm in the evening. Sea breezes can be noticed several kilometres out to sea. In the tropics they can be felt 20km from the land. Wind speeds from sea breezes can be about 4-8m/s but can be even stronger.

Land breezes Land breezes occur at night and in the early morning, when the land is cooler than the sea. This is because as the air cools in the night time (as there is less heating from the sun) it contracts. Pressure is higher over the land than the sea. This causes the air to flow from the land to the sea which is known as a land breeze. The circulation is completed by air rising and moving towards the land at 100-300m. This is shown on the diagram below. Cumulus clouds from where there is rising air. Land sea breeze fronts tend to only affect a small area of 10-15km out to sea, in comparison to the much larger effect of sea breezes. Wind speeds are also lower at 2-3m/s. As well as local winds and local weather phenomena, the following list includes seasonal winds with local names: The Bise A cold dry wind which blows from the north-east, north or north-west in the mountainous regions of southeastern France and western Switzerland in winter months. The bise is accompanied by heavy cloud.

The Bora The bora is a strong, cold and gusty north-easterly wind which descends to the Adriatic Sea from the Dinaric Alps, the mountains behind the Dalmatian coast (the coast of Croatia). It is a winter phenomenon that develops when a slow-moving depression is centred over the Plain of Hungary and western Balkans so that winds are blowing from the east towards the Dinaric Alps. These mountains form a barrier which trap the cold air to the east of them whilst the Adriatic coast remains comparatively mild. Gradually, though, the depth of the cold air increases until the air flows over passes and through valleys to reach the Adriatic Sea. The bora begins suddenly and without warning and the cold air typically descends to the coast so rapidly that it has little time to warm up. The bora can reach speeds of more than 100 km/h and has been known to overturn vehicles and blow people off their feet. The Chinook Wind A warm, westerly wind found in western North America – Canada and the USA, when air from the Pacific blows over the Rocky Mountains and other upland areas.

On January 15th, 1972, the Chinook caused the temperature in Lorna, Montana to rise from -48°C to 9°C in 24 hours! The fastest wind speed recorded during a Chinook was 107mph, in Alberta, Canada. The Crachin The name given to the drizzly weather with low stratus, mist or fog which occurs from time to time during the period January to April over the China Sea and in coastal areas between Shanghai and Cape Cambodia. It occurs when cool, moist air from the north encounters warm, moist air, and it is intensified by orographic lifting and/or by coastal convergence. The Etesians/meltemi The strong northerly winds which blow at times over the Aegean Sea and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea during the period May to October. The winds are known as meltemi in Turkey. The Föhn (or foehn) The Föhn is a warm, dry, gusty wind which occurs over the lower slopes on the lee side (the side which is not directly exposed to wind and weather) of a mountain barrier. It is a result of forcing stable air over a mountain barrier.

The onset of a Föhn is generally sudden. For example, the temperature may rise more than 10°C in five minutes and the wind strength increase from almost calm to gale force just as quickly. Föhn winds occur quite often in the Alps (where the name föhn originated) and in the Rockies (where the name chinook is used). They also occur in the Moray Firth and over eastern parts of New Zealand’s South Island. In addition, they occur over eastern Sri Lanka during the south-west monsoon. The danger of a Föhn where there are steep snow-covered slopes is that avalanches may result from the sudden warming and blustery conditions. In Föhn conditions, relative humidity may fall to less than 30%, causing vegetation and wooden buildings to dry out. This is a long-standing problem in Switzerland, where so many fire disasters have occurred during Föhn conditions that fire-watching is obligatory when a Föhn is blowing. An explanation of the Föhn effect in the UK from BBC weather . The Gregale (or grigale)/ euroclydon/ euraquilo A notorious wind of the western Mediterranean which also blows across central parts of the Mediterranean Sea.

It is a strong and cold wind from the north-east and occurs mainly in winter. It is most pronounced on the island of Malta, where it sometimes reaches hurricane force and endangers shipping. The Bible tells us that the ship which carried St Paul and other prisoners across the Mediterranean en route to Rome was driven by a storm from Crete to Malta, where it was eventually wrecked. The ship set sail from a bay called Fair Havens near Lasea on the south coast of Crete, having put into this bay to wait for favourable conditions after being delayed by contrary winds. As the bay was exposed to storms, it was not considered a safe place to remain at the time of year in question, which was either late September or early October. The harbour at Phoenix on the south-western coast of Crete was considered a safer place to spend the winter. Soon after the ship left Fair Havens, however, a severe gale began to blow. So violent was the storm that the sailors could do no more than drift with the wind. The Bible tells us that the ship reached Malta fourteen days later. Paul experienced a gregale. As these winds normally last no more than four or five days, the storm he experienced appears to have been unusually persistent.

The Harmattan A dry and comparatively cool wind which blows from the east or north-east on the coast of North Africa between Cabo Verde and the Gulf of Guinea during the dry season (November to March). It brings dust and sand from the Sahara Desert, often in sufficient quantity to form a thick haze which hinders navigation on rivers. Dust and sand are sometimes carried many hundreds of kilometres out to sea. The Helm Wind An easterly wind found in Cumbria, N. England, where the winds blow over Cross Fell and then descend into the Eden Valley. A bank of cloud forms over the hill tops, and the roaring of the wind can be heard as far away as Penrith. The Kaus/Suahili The name given to the south-easterly winds which prevail in winter (December to April) in the Persian Gulf. They are accompanied by gloomy weather, rain and squalls and are sometimes followed by very strong south-westerly winds called suahili. The Khamsin A hot, dry, dust-laden, southerly wind over Egypt, the Red Sea and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea ahead of eastward-moving depressions.

It occurs during the period February to June, being most frequent in March and April. The Khamsin is a Sirocco wind, whose name comes from the Arabic word for ‘fifty’, which is approximately the length of time the wind blows for. In the nineteenth Century, the plague was worst in Egypt when the Khamsin was blowing. The Kharif A strong south-westerly wind which blows daily over the Gulf of Aden from about 22:00 hours until about noon the following day. It occurs in June, July and August (during the south-west monsoon) and frequently reaches gale force. The Leste A hot, dry, southerly wind which occurs in winter and spring between Madeira and Gibraltar and along the coast of North Africa ahead of an advancing depression. The Levanter A moist wind which blows from the east over the Strait of Gibraltar. It is frequently accompanied by haze or fog and may occur at any time of year, though it is most common in the period June to October. A feature is the occurrence of a ‘banner cloud’ extending a kilometre or more downwind from the summit of the Rock of Gibraltar.

The strength of the Levanter does not normally exceed Beaufort Force 5. When it is strong, however, complex and vigorous atmospheric eddies form in the lee of the Rock, causing difficult conditions for yachtsmen and the pilots of aircraft. The levanter can also cause persistently foggy weather on the coast of Spain. The Levenche A hot, dry, southerly wind which blows on the south-east coast of Spain ahead of an advancing depression. It is typically laden with sand and dust, and its approach is often heralded by a belt of brownish cloud on the southern horizon. The Libeccio A strong, squally, south-westerly wind which occurs over central parts of the Mediterranean Sea, most common in winter. The Maestro The name given to north-westerly winds over the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea and coastal regions of Sardinia and Corsica. The Marin A strong south-easterly wind over the Golfe du Lion. It is usually accompanied by warm, cloudy weather with rain. The Mistral The mistral is also a strong and often violent wind.

It blows from the north or north-west down the Rhône Valley of southern France and across the Rhône Delta to the Golfe du Lion and sometimes beyond. Though strongest and most frequent in winter, it may blow at any time of year and develops when stable air is forced through the Rhône Valley. It occurs when a depression is centred over north-west Italy and the Ligurian Sea and a ridge of high pressure extends north-eastward across the Bay of Biscay. It may blow continuously for a day or two and attain speeds of 100 km/h, causing considerable damage to crops and making driving conditions difficult in the Rhône Valley. It clears clouds and pollution out of the air. In the Rhone valley in France, trees lean to the South because of the force of the Mistral. The Norther This name for a wind is used in more than one place. In Chile, a Norther is a northerly gale with rain. It usually occurs in winter but occasionally occurs at other times of year. Typically, it can be identified by falling air pressure, a cloudy or overcast sky, good visibility and water levels below normal along the coast.

Over the Gulf of Mexico and western parts of the Caribbean Sea, Northers are strong, cool, northerly winds which blow mainly in winter. Over the Gulf of Mexico, they are sometimes humid and accompanied by precipitation, but over the Gulf of Tehuantepec they are dry winds. Pampero The name given to severe line squalls in Argentina and Uruguay, particularly in the Rio de la Plata area. They are associated with marked cold fronts and are usually accompanied by rain, thunder and lightning, a sharp drop in temperature and a sudden change of wind direction from northerly or northwesterly to southerly or south-westerly. They are most likely to occur during the period June to September. Roaring forties Strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere between 40 and 50 degrees South. Sailing ships have always made use of them. The winds are much stronger in the Southern Hemisphere because there is very little land to slow them down – only Tasmania, New Zealand and the very bottom of South America. The Santa Ana A hot, dry, strong, blustery, föhn-type wind which blows from the north-east or east over southern California and carries with it large quantities of dust.

It is most frequent in winter but may also occur in spring or autumn. It may get its name from the Santa Ana Mountains or the Santa Ana Canyon but other possibilities are that it derives from santanas, meaning ‘devil winds’, or the Spanish Satanás, meaning Satan. These winds can cause a great deal of damage. As they are hot and dry, they cause vegetation to dry out, so increasing the risk of wildfires; and once fires start the winds fan the flames and hasten the spread of the fires. In spring, Santa Ana winds can cause considerable damage to fruit trees. Shamal Strictly, the shamal is any north-westerly wind over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, but the term usually refers not to the normal prevailing winds but to the squally gale-force winds accompanied by rain and thunder which occur in winter. The Scirocco/ Sirocco A hot, dry wind southerly wind which blows from the Sahara in northern Africa into the southern Mediterranean. It picks up moisture as it crosses the Mediterranean and can reach Spain, France, Italy and Greece bringing Saharan dust and hot, windy, damp weather, often with fog or low stratus cloud.

In spring, the Sirocco can bring gale force winds. There are many local names for the Sirocco, including chom, arifi, Simoom, Ghibli, Chili, Khamsin, Solano, Leveche, Marin and Jugo. The Solano An easterly or south-easterly wind, with rain, which occurs in the Strait of Gibraltar and over south-eastern coasts of Spain. Southerly-buster The name given to the violent squalls which are associated with well-defined active cold fronts over coastal regions of southern and south-eastern Australia. They are accompanied by lightning, thunder and gale-force winds and are similar to pamperos. They are most frequent in summer but may also occur in spring and autumn. Sumatra These are characteristically squally local winds which occur over the Malacca Strait several times a month during the period April to November. They are always accompanied by heavy rain from cumulonimbus clouds and are almost always accompanied by lightning and thunder. They are initiated by katabatic winds and therefore tend to occur at night. Tehuantepecer A violent squally wind from the north or north-east in the Gulf of Tehuantepec in winter.

It originates in the Gulf of Mexico as a norther and blows across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The Trade wind Easterly winds in the Tropics (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn). The Trade winds helped European explorers reach America. Tramontana A cold, dry, northerly or north-westerly wind over the coast of Catolina and a cold, dry northerly or north-easterly wind over the west coast of Italy and the north coast of Corsica. It is typically a strong wind but does not often reach gale force. The Vendavales Strong, squally, south-westerly winds off the east coast of Spain and in the Strait of Gibraltar. They occur mainly during the period September to March and are often accompanied by violent squalls, heavy rain and thunderstorms. Williwaw A sudden, cold, violent wind found in Alaska and Cape Horn which blows from the mountains to the sea. Willy-Willy The Climate of, and Weather in, the Languedoc: Wind: Le Vent Mistral. The Climate of, and Weather in, the Languedoc: Wind: The Mistral.

The Mistral usually develops as a cold front moves down across France piling up the air in the Alps before spilling over the top and rushing down the Rhône valley between the Alps and Cevennes at speeds of up to 95mph towards the French Riviera and the Gulf of Lyon . In the winter the wind pours down the Rh�ne valley in an icy flow that can seem relentless. It can last a fortnight in winter, but it's also common in spring, and occurs less often in Summer. In Provence the Mistral blows as often as 100 days of the year, gusting to force 10 and above. Marseilles and St.Tropez generally take the full brunt of this cold, strong wind as it reachs the sea. It does not usually affect the Roussillon or Languedoc, apart from the area around the Rhône delta - the famous Camargue . A complex set of conditions gives rise to a Mistral, but in essence it is a kind of f�hn wind.

When a high-pressure system sits over the plateau of the Massif Central, and a low-pressure system sits over the Mediterranean Sea , the cold mountain air will flow down the pressure slope, accelerating as it roars through the gap of the Rh�ne valley. You can see the Rh�ne valley clearly on the relief map on the right - it runs north-south in between the two big mountain ranges, the Massif Centrale to the west and the Alps to the east. Locals claim that a sudden feeling of dejection or even depression sweeps through them just before the Mistral comes. Once the wind arrives, depression gives way to headaches and irritability. In Provence it is widely believed that the Mistral always blows for an odd number of days. The name "mistral" comes from the Occitan ( Provençal ) word for "master". The wind masters the population, knocking people off balance physically and out of their minds emotionally (Remember the Mistral in Jean de Florette). The Occitan ( Provençal ) name of 'le vent du fada', translates as "the idiot wind". A piercingly clear sky accompanies the wind.

In the Vaucluse, in northern Provence, they claim that it is possible to see Corsica from the summit of Mont Ventoux during a Mistral. Off the coast, sea temperatures have generally dropped noticeably by the end of the first day of a Mistral. At sea, sailors fear the deadly combination of the wind and the poor visibility caused by spume whipped off the wave crests. The name of this wind is also the surname of one of the greatest French poets, who wrote in Occitan and won the Nobel prize for literature in 1904: Frederic Mistral .

Question: Down which valley does The Mistral blow?
Answer: Rhone